Page 43 of Same Rogue
He brushed a strand of hair that had escaped her braid and tucked it behind her ear. “I hated being around all the couples. The more the Pack paired up, the more it reminded me of the hole in my chest.”
“The hole isn’t so bad now?” she asked.
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “The hole isn’t there anymore.”
Oof. Her eyes prickled with emotion. She’d never been much of a crier, but lately she had all of these happy emotions surging through her, thanks to Bridger.
“Your RV?” she asked.
He turned her and pulled her in close to his side. “Ours. We are going to camp with the Pack. This won’t be our only time. I want a den with you even when we are traveling. We can tent-camp, I know. You don’t require a lot, but I like the idea of you sitting in the passenger seat of my truck singing songs while I haul our RV to different sites in a caravan with our friends and getting to sleep comfortable in here.”
“Away from us heathens!” Dodger called out from where he and Destiny were sitting in camp chairs, kicking out of their shoes.
“Away from you, but still here. And if one of you knocks on this door in the middle of the night needing anything, I willeat you. Leave us alone.”
“The scariest part of that is I heard the truth in your voice,” Liam said, looking disturbed. “You would really eat us.”
Bridger pulled his shirt over his head. They’d both worn their bathing suits here. It was one of those hot, perfect, late summer days. His eyes lightened as he tilted his head toward the water.
Bayen was running toward it with a float in the shape of a pizza slice in his hands.
“Come on, Mad Wolf,” Nate said. “I’ll race you.”
“Race me?”
“It’s the only thing I can freaking beat you at,” he grumbled, lining up beside Bridger.
Kit cracked up as they both took off at a sprint for the water. Nate tried to push Bridger over before they hit the water, but he was barely swayed off his path. “Fuck!” Nate yelled as Bridger hit the water first.
“I have a float you can borrow,” Vic called to Bridger.
“No!” Tabian and Bayen both yelled in unison.
Kit stood there with her arms crossed, sinking into the happy moment as the other guys were peer-pressured into swimming.
Tru stood to the side with Bayen’s girlfriend, Breah, chatting happily. Tru had her baby, Blu, on her hip and was bouncing him absently as she talked. Delta, Nory, Lyric, and Destiny were gathering near the center firepit, and Kit sauntered over to join them.
Nory rested her head against Kit’s shoulder as they watched the guys trying to drown each other. “So cute,” she joked.
Kit rested her cheek on top of Nory’s head. She was growing meaningful friendships with all of the women here. They were so different, each of them, and so special. So genuine.
Kit was deeply happy near this Pack. Now, she couldn’t take her eyes off the smile on Bridger’s face.
“I still can’t believe he’s the Mad Wolf,” Delta murmured.
Bridger had told the Pack at the meeting last night. He’d told them about Amelia, and her parents, and about his past. No one had shunned or shamed him. He had been met with understanding, and that made Kit love these people even more.
This right here is what a Pack should feel like.
She didn’t know what the future held, or how many more days she would be telling Bridger, “One more day,” and buying more time at the hotel, but she had learned to enjoy the moments as they came. She thought Bridger was doing the same.
“Kit,” he called.
“Yes?” she asked, straightening her spine.
He was standing in the water, up to his muscular chest. He tilted his head. Come here.
“Yep,” she muttered and made her way to the water’s edge as the girls teased her from behind.
